THE PSYCHOLOGY OF ANIMAL PLAY. 323 



of our freedom of action. The past, which no more be- 

 longs to our living ego, is riveted to us with iron bolts 

 so that we can not escape from it. And where in real 

 life is the feeling that we always might turn back — 

 might step out of the causal series? Perhaps our resolu- 

 tion seems to be free, but as soon as stern realities beset 

 us we fall again under the resistless causal nexus of the 

 universe, and no power on earth can send back the 

 arrow that is loosed from the bowstring. We may well 

 suppose that it was under bitter experience of the inevi- 

 tableness of necessity that Schiller described Wallen- 

 stein's condition with such force of genius. Perhaps the 

 power of the " not I '' over the " I " has never been more 

 tragically set forth than in that great monologue, where 

 we see the unlucky stars depriving the hero of his 

 freedom : 



" Is it possible ? 

 Is't so ? I can no longer what I u'ould 9 

 No longer draw back at my liking, I 

 Must do the deed because I thought of it? 



I but amused myself with thinking of it. 

 The free will tempted me, the power to do 

 Or not to do it. — Was it criminal 

 To make the fancy minister to hope ? 



Was not the will kept free ? Beheld I not 



The road of duty close beside me — but 



One little step and once more I was in it ! 



Where am I ? Whither have I been transported f 



No road, no track behind me, but a wall 



Impenetrable, insupportable. 



Rises obedient to the spells 1 muttered 



And meant not — my own doings tower behind me. 



Stern is the on-look of Necessity. 



Not without shudder may a human hand 



Grasp the mysterious urn of destiny. 



